Athletic Therapy covers a full spectrum of therapy skills and modalities including:

Prevention. Athletic Therapists prevent or minimize the possibility of injury using strategies and techniques such as patient education, conditioning programs, postural evaluation, and equipment selection

Assessment. Athletic Therapists are experts at evaluating the type and severity of injuries using established best practices Emergency & Acute Care. Usually, the first to respond when an injury occurs, Athletic Therapists provide basic emergency life support, recognize and manage acute traumatic neurological dysfunction, and prepare athletes for entry into the healthcare system

Rehabilitation. Preparing individuals to re-establish their pre-injury lifestyle, Athletic Therapists take an active approach to rehabilitation, including manual and movement therapies, electrical modalities, and targeted exercises to ensure musculoskeletal stability and function

Reconditioning. Athletic Therapists work with individuals on a customized basis to condition for preventive measures and re-condition with exercise rehabilitation to avoid further injury

 

- Canadian Athletic Therapy Association (www.athletictherapy.org)

Athletic Therapists with the Calgary Northstars Hockey Association are responsible for assessing, treating, and clearing athletes to return to play.

• -  When an athlete is injured, the Athletic Therapist is responsible to attend to that athlete on the ice, when it is safe to do so. The Athletic Therapist assesses the athlete to determine what the injury is and make a decision if it is safe to remove the athlete from the ice or to stabilize them and call for emergency services
• -  When the athlete is safe to leave the ice surface, the Athletic Therapist completes a comprehensive assessment to determine specifically what the injury is. They determine if the athlete is able to return to play and if they require prophylactic taping, bracing, or should be removed from play and referred for further assessment and treatment

• -  The Athletic Therapist works in conjunction with the athlete’s surgeon, doctor, or other healthcare provider to complete their post surgical or injury return to play protocol
• -  If an athlete is returning from a surgery, fracture/break, concussion, or illness, it is the Surgeon, Doctor, Sport Medicine Doctor responsibility to clear the athlete to return to play
• -  If an athlete sustains a musculoskeletal injury (sprain, strain, contusion, etc.) the team Athletic Therapist is able to clear the athlete to return to play
• -  The Athletic Therapist collaborates with the team Strength and Conditioning Coach regarding the athlete’s injury and their team workouts, to ensure the athlete is able to participate in the team workouts in a safe manner